How to Plan an At Home Wedding

Weddings can be very expensive when you add together all the moving parts. The photographer and videographer, wedding band, party favors, food and so much more! One of the most expensive parts of a wedding is the venue. It’s easy to brainstorm over the top venues for your big day, but don’t forget to consider an at home wedding.

Although it may sound cheap and unimpressive initially, an at-home wedding may be the perfect option for you. This type of venue is one that’s undoubtedly close to your heart, which will make your ceremony even more special. While there is nothing wrong with the traditional wedding at an extravagant venue or church, you may find that an at home wedding better fits your budget and style.

Read on for seven tips to help you plan your at home wedding.

Consider Your Space

Before you put together a guest list or do anything else, first carefully evaluate your space. How many people can you comfortably accommodate? Do you want your wedding to take place inside, outside or both? Once you come up with a fair number, you’re ready to put together your guest list and details.

If you feel your space is not ideal for your special day, consider a close friend or family member’s home. For example, if your parents have a beautiful backyard that’s perfect for what you envision, make that your venue.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Plan to clean your house from top to bottom at least a week before your wedding day. You can even hire a cleaning crew to do a more aggressive deep clean, that way you can focus on other important elements of your wedding. The same goes for the day after your wedding. If you’re heading out to your honeymoon, hire a crew to handle the post-cleanup, so you have a fresh home to return to.

Pay Attention to Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important parts of an at-home wedding. Light up important areas, like the front of your home, the backyard, the pathway to the restroom and so on. Decorate with tea lights, twinkle lights and white lanterns. Instead of bright overhead lights, go for more of an ambiance with lamp lighting.

Delegate Tasks

Your friends and family want to be a part of your big day and help in whatever way they can — let them. Delegate different tasks ahead of time, so you know everything will be taken care of. Put your best girlfriends in charge of decor, ask mom and dad to manage food and beverages and so on. There’s no way you can pull it all off by yourself, so let your loved ones help out.

Provide Enough Seating

Once you know how many guests you’ll have, make sure you have enough seating for everyone. This means tables and chairs, couches, benches and other creative seating ideas, like hay bales. If you plan to open up both the inside and outside of your home, make sure you have enough seating.

Plan Ahead for Permits

Do your research ahead of time to see if you need to file for a noise permit or a permit to park cars on your street. If you find out cars can’t park on your street, find a nearby parking lot guests can use and consider hiring a valet or shuttle service to bring them back and forth.

Let Guests Help Themselves

When it comes to food and alcohol, make it easy on yourself and your guests, and set everything out in a designated area. Go for a fancy BBQ, set out on trays, buffet style or put together an array of finger foods, arranged in trendy serving plates and bowls. If you have a friend or family member who is especially good at baking, ask them to lend their talents to your big day. This can be in the form of a cake, cupcakes or whatever sweet treat your heart desires.

Alcohol is one of the most stressful parts of any wedding. You don’t want to spend an arm and a leg, and you also want to keep everyone under control. Set out at least two types of beer, both red and white wine and a signature wedding cocktail. Evaluate your guest list ahead of time. Who drinks beer? Who drinks wine? Who doesn’t drink at all? Then, you can use a wedding alcohol calculator to help you figure out what you need, so you don’t overspend.

At home weddings are not only practical, but they’re personal, too. You’ll also have more flexibility and save loads of money. Think about it — you won’t have to fight for your dream wedding date, you can depend on the help of family and friends and you can do things you can’t do at some other venues, like invite your pets. This is also the best option for you if you want to have a more intimate wedding with family and friends. Consider having an at home wedding so you can enjoy memories of your wedding day at home for years to come.

Kacey Bradley

Lifestyle - Wedding - Travel

Welcome to The Drifter Collective - a lifestyle blog sharing my love for travel, style, wedding inspiration, homemaking and so much more!
Some people call me a traveler, while others refer to me as 'the well cultured friend" who drifts into everything. Pun intended. :)